Central Coast Mariners FC facts for kids
 |
||||
| Full name | Central Coast Mariners Football Club | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Mariners, The Yellow & Navy, Coasties | |||
| Short name | CCM | |||
| Founded | 1 November 2004 | |||
| Stadium | Industree Group Stadium | |||
| Capacity | 20,059 | |||
| Chairman | Mike Charlesworth | |||
| Head Coach | Mark Jackson | |||
| League | A-League Men | |||
| 2022–23 | 2nd of 12 (champions) | |||
|
||||
The Central Coast Mariners Football Club is a professional soccer team from Gosford, New South Wales, Australia. They play in the A-League Men, which is Australia's top soccer league. The club is one of the original teams that started the A-League in 2004.
Even though they are one of the smaller clubs, the Mariners have been very successful. They have won the A-League Championship three times and finished first in the regular season (called the A-League Premiership) three times. They have also played in the AFC Champions League five times and won the AFC Cup once.
The Mariners play their home games at Central Coast Stadium in Gosford. This stadium can hold over 20,000 fans. The team also has a special training place called Mariners Centre of Excellence in Tuggerah. This facility is also home to their youth team. The main fan group for the Mariners is called the Yellow Army, named after the team's yellow home uniform. The Mariners have a big rivalry with Newcastle Jets, known as the F3 Derby. This name comes from the highway that connects the two cities. Matt Simon is the Mariners' top goal scorer with 66 goals. John Hutchinson has played the most games for the club, with 263 appearances.
Contents
Club History
Starting the Team (2004)
The Central Coast Mariners wanted to join Australia's new A-League soccer competition. The league wanted one team from a regional area. Many people thought the Mariners had a good chance because they were a new club. Famous Australian soccer player Alex Tobin and environmentalist Ian Kiernan supported their bid. Ian Kiernan became the club's first chairman.
Since they were the only regional team trying to join, many expected them to get a spot. The club signed Lawrie McKinna as their first manager. He was a coach for another team called Northern Spirit. They also signed Ian Ferguson as a coach. To help grow soccer, the Mariners also connected with a local team, Central Coast United. On November 1, 2004, the Mariners were officially announced as one of the eight teams in the A-League. This made them the first professional sports team from Gosford to play in a national competition.
When the league started, the Spirits Sports and Leisure Group owned the club. The Mariners looked for a special "star player" who could be paid more than the usual salary cap. They wanted someone who would play well, not just retire there. Coach Lawrie McKinna was interested in Australian national team players like Ante Milicic and Simon Colosimo. The club was worried about money at first. But a partnership with Toshiba and money from local businessman John Singleton helped them. The first player to sign with the club was Damien Brown, a local player from Bateau Bay. The club was happy to have a local player as a "foundation player." By December 2004, they had signed many players. They also signed Nik Mrdja, a top striker from another team, as their main attacker.
Lawrie McKinna's Time (2004–2010)
The Mariners' first season in 2005–06 was very successful. They finished third in the regular season and reached the 2006 A-League Grand Final. However, they lost to Sydney FC 1–0. Before that, they won the 2005 Pre-Season Cup by beating Perth Glory 1–0. For the 2006–07 A-League season, the Mariners signed Australian international player Tony Vidmar. They reached the final of the 2006 Pre-Season Cup again but lost to Adelaide United in a penalty shootout. In the 2006–07 A-League season, they finished sixth and did not make the finals.
After the 2006–07 season, team captain Noel Spencer left. Alex Wilkinson became the new captain at just 22 years old. He had played every game for the Mariners up to that point. In 2008, the Mariners partnered with English club Sheffield United. This partnership helped the Mariners' youth program and allowed players to move between the clubs. They also hoped to make money together to help the Mariners Youth Academy.
In the 2007–08 season, Central Coast won their first Premiership. They finished first in the league table. They then reached the 2008 A-League Grand Final by beating Newcastle. In the Grand Final, Newcastle beat Central Coast 1–0. The game ended with some controversy because a handball by a Newcastle player in the penalty box was not called. This would have given the Mariners a penalty kick. Mariners goalkeeper Danny Vuković was suspended for hitting the referee's arm after the game. He was banned for nine months, which meant he missed the 2008 Summer Olympics. The Mariners then signed former Manchester United goalkeeper Mark Bosnich for a short time.
For the 2008–09 season, many thought the Mariners would do well. They made it to the finals but lost to Queensland Roar, ending their season.
Graham Arnold and Phil Moss (2010–2015)
In February 2010, Lawrie McKinna moved to a new role in the club. Graham Arnold, who was an assistant coach for the Australian national team, became the new manager. Before the 2010–11 season, many players changed teams. The Mariners signed Argentinian player Patricio Pérez and Dutch defender Patrick Zwaanswijk. In July 2010, the Mariners' women's team stopped playing in the W-League because of money problems.
Even with low expectations, the 2010–11 season was very good. Both the main team and the youth team finished second in their leagues. The senior team lost to Brisbane Roar in the semi-finals. But they beat Gold Coast United to reach the 2011 A-League Grand Final against Brisbane. This also meant they qualified for the 2012 AFC Champions League. In a very exciting Grand Final, Central Coast lost 4–2 in a penalty shootout. They had been leading 2–0 with only three minutes left in extra time. This was their third time finishing as runners-up.
The 2011–12 season was also successful. The club won the Premiership for the second time. However, they did not reach the Grand Final, losing to Brisbane and then Perth Glory.
Central Coast 2–0 Western Sydney
On April 21, 2013, after losing three Grand Finals, Central Coast finally won their first A-League Championship. They beat the new team Western Sydney Wanderers 2–0 in the 2013 A-League Grand Final. Graham Arnold signed a new contract in August 2013. But in November, he left to manage a team in Japan. Former assistant manager Phil Moss became the new head coach. The Mariners finished third in the 2013–14 A-League regular season. Their championship hopes ended when they lost to Western Sydney in the semi-final. They were also knocked out of the 2014 AFC Champions League.
Phil Moss did not change much from Arnold's team. They added Senegalese player Malick Mané and Hungarian player Richárd Vernes. The Mariners started the season well, reaching the semi-finals of the 2014 FFA Cup and beating Newcastle Jets. However, they then struggled and did not win another game for the rest of the year. After being knocked out of the 2015 AFC Champions League and having a bad league record, Phil Moss was replaced. Tony Walmsley became the interim coach, with captain John Hutchinson helping as a player-coach. Walmsley was later made the permanent coach for the 2015–16 season. The club finished eighth in the league.
Tough Times (2015–2020)
The 2015–16 season was the Mariners' worst A-League performance. They earned only 13 points and finished last. They lost 20 games, which was a league record for losses. They also let in 70 goals, the most in league history. They did not keep a single "clean sheet" (not letting the other team score) all season.
In the 2016 FFA Cup, Central Coast lost to a state league team, Green Gully SC. This led to Tony Walmsley being fired in August 2016. Assistant coach John Hutchinson took over temporarily.
On August 29, 2016, Paul Okon became the new full-time coach. In his first game, the Mariners came back from being 3–0 down to draw 3–3 with Perth Glory. Okon got his first win in his fifth game, beating Adelaide United 2–1. But the Mariners finished eighth that season.
In August 2017, the Mariners were again knocked out of the FFA Cup by a state league team. During the 2017–18 A-League season, they were in the top four at one point. But after 11 games without a win, they dropped down the table. Okon resigned, and Wayne O'Sullivan became interim manager. The team finished last for the second time in three years. Mike Mulvey was hired as coach in 2018. In the first 21 games of the 2018–19 A-League season, the Mariners won only once. Mulvey was replaced by Alen Stajcic, who used to coach the Australian women's national team. Even with two wins in his six games, the Mariners finished last again. Stajcic was given a three-year contract.
In August 2020, after their last game of the 2019–20 season, the club's owner, Michael Charlesworth, put the Mariners up for sale. This meant the club might leave the Central Coast if no buyer was found.
Rising Again (2020–Present)
Central Coast 6–1 Melbourne City
In his second full season, 2020–21, coach Stajcic made some important signings. He brought back former player Oliver Bozanic and signed Costa Rican international Marco Urena. The season started well, with the Mariners beating local rivals Sydney FC in Sydney for the first time in seven years. The Mariners were in first place after 16 games. They finished third, which meant they qualified for the finals for the first time in seven years. They lost to Macarthur FC 2–0 in the elimination finals in June 2021.
Stajcic left before the 2021–22 season, and Nick Montgomery became the new coach. Montgomery's first season continued the team's success. He led the club to their first ever FFA Cup final in February 2022, where they lost 2–1 to Melbourne Victory. The Mariners also finished fifth in the A-League, qualifying for the finals again. They were knocked out by Adelaide United in the elimination finals.
On June 3, 2023, Central Coast played against Melbourne City in the 2023 A-League Men Grand Final. The Mariners won 6–1, claiming their second A-League Championship and their first in ten years. Jason Cummings was named the best player in the final.
Before the new season, Championship-winning coach Nick Montgomery left to coach Hibernian. Mark Jackson became the new head coach. The 2023-24 season was even more successful for the club. They won the A-League Premiership by finishing top of the table. They also won their first continental title, the AFC Cup, by beating Al Ahed. The Mariners then went on to beat Melbourne Victory 3–1 in extra time in the 2024 A-League Men Grand Final. This amazing achievement meant they won the "treble" – three major trophies in one season!
Al Ahed 0–1 Central Coast
Winning the AFC Cup (2023–24)
The Central Coast Mariners returned to playing in Asian tournaments after nine years. They made their first appearance in the AFC Cup. They were in Group G with teams from Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. On September 20, 2023, the Mariners lost their first game 1–0 against Terengganu. But in their next match on October 4, they had their biggest ever win in an Asian competition, beating Stallion Laguna 9–1! Central Coast finished first in their group with 13 points, which meant they moved on to the knockout stage.
In the knockout stage, the Mariners faced Phnom Penh Crown from Cambodia on February 13, 2024. Central Coast won 4–0, with Ryan Edmondson scoring three goals. This win sent them to the zonal finals against Macarthur FC on February 22. Central Coast won a close game 3–2 in extra time. This qualified them for the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals, where they beat Odisha from India 4–0 over two games. They then advanced to the Inter-zone play-off final against Abdysh-Ata Kant from Kyrgyzstan, winning 4–1 over two games. This meant they reached the 2024 AFC Cup final against Al Ahed from Lebanon. On May 5, the final was played in Oman. In the 84th minute, substitute player Alou Kuol scored the only goal of the match, winning the AFC Cup for Central Coast!
Team Colours and Badge
The Mariners' home uniform is mostly yellow with navy blue sleeves. Their away uniform is mostly navy blue with yellow details. From 2011 to 2012, Hummel made their uniforms. In September 2012, Kappa became their official uniform supplier for two years.
The team's logo shows a yellow football in the middle of a blue curling wave. This wave represents the beautiful beaches of the Central Coast.
Since 2012, the Mariners have worn special pink uniforms for one game in October. This is to raise money and awareness for Pink Ribbon Day, which is part of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The club collects donations at the stadium and auctions off the game-worn uniforms online to help the charity.
Uniform History
- Home
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sponsors
The Mariners have had different sponsors over the years for their uniforms. These sponsors help the club with money.
| Period | Kit Manufacturer | Shirt Sponsor | Back Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005–2006 | Reebok | Future School | None |
| 2006–2008 | Central Coast | Rebel Sport | |
| 2008–2010 | None | ||
| 2010–2011 | Primo Smallgoods | ||
| 2011–2012 | Hummel | Soccer5s | |
| 2012–2013 | Kappa | Masterfoods | |
| 2013–2015 | Westinghouse Solar | ||
| 2015–2016 | Search Technologies | ||
| 2016–2018 | Umbro | Dyldam | |
| 2018–2021 | State Roads Construction | ||
| 2021–2023 | Paladin | Mate | |
| 2023–2024 | Cikers | eToro | |
| 2024-present | Polytec | Liberty |
AFC Competition Sponsors
When the Mariners play in Asian competitions, they sometimes have different sponsors on their shirts.
| Year | Kit Manufacturer | Shirt Sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Reebok | thecoast.cc |
| 2012 | Hummel | Search Technologies |
| 2013 | Kappa | 5100 Tibet Glacial Spring Water |
| 2014 | ||
| 2015 | Haisheng | |
| 2023-24 | Cikers | AirAsia Anytime Fitness (final only) |
| 2024-25 | No sponsor (Matchweek 1-4) Dyson Logistics (Matchweek 5 onwards) |
Home Stadium
The Central Coast Mariners play their home games at Central Coast Stadium in Gosford. The stadium is located near the Gosford city center and the Brisbane Water. It is designed to make the most of its location, with an open end that offers views of the water through palm trees. It is also close to the Gosford train station.
The stadium can hold 20,059 people. The highest number of fans at a Mariners game was 21,379 during the 2024 Grand Final. This was helped by extra temporary seats. In the past, the Mariners sometimes played games away from Central Coast Stadium, like at North Sydney Oval. This was to try and reach more fans in north Sydney. However, the Football Federation Australia decided it was unlikely the club would continue playing games there.
Fans and Rivalries
The main group of active supporters for the Mariners is called the Yellow Army. They sit in a special section of Central Coast Stadium during home games. There is also an Official Supporters Club that started in 2013. The Central Coast region has about 300,000 people, which means the Mariners have the smallest local fan base in the A-League.
The Mariners have a strong rivalry with the Newcastle Jets. This rivalry is often called the F3 Derby. The name comes from the highway that connects the two cities. The rivalry started even before they played in the A-League. A match in 2005, which the Mariners won in a penalty shootout, created some bad feelings. In that game, a tackle by a Mariners player broke a Newcastle player's leg. Fans of both clubs have had verbal battles during derby matches. Even though other rivalries in the A-League get more attention now, the players and fans still take the F3 Derby very seriously.
Central Coast also has a rivalry with Sydney FC. Like Newcastle, Sydney FC is close to the Central Coast. In 2006, some people called the Central Coast–Sydney rivalry "A-League's fiercest."
Partner Clubs
The Mariners have connections with other soccer clubs around the world. These partnerships help the club and its players.
The club also works with these international clubs to help develop players:
Everton
Southern
Portimonense
In Australia, they have formal relationships with:
Central Coast United
They used to have relationships with:
- Northbridge (as North Shore Mariners Academy 2014–2020)
Players
First-Team Squad
|
|
Youth Players
|
Players on Loan
|
Retired Jersey Numbers
- 19 –
Matt Simon (forward, 2006–12, 2013–15, 2018–22)
Club Staff
Management Team
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Mike Charlesworth |
Coaching Staff
| Position | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sporting director | Matt Simon |
|||
| Head Coach | Mark Jackson |
|||
| Assistant coach | Josh Rose |
|||
| Goalkeeping Coach | Danny Vukovic |
|||
| Analyst | Liam Chauncy |
|||
| A-League Team Manager | Darren Dobson |
|||
| Lead Strength and Conditioning Coach | Cade Mapu |
|||
| Head Physiotherapist |  Nick Van Reede Van Oudtshoorn |
|||
| Academy Co-ordinator |  Cameron Stone |
Head of NPL Men | Lucas Vilela |
Team Managers
| Name | Period | Honours | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
 Lawrie McKinna |
2004–2010 | A-League Premiership: 2007–08 A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup: 2005 A-League Coach of the Year: 2005–06 |
|
| Graham Arnold |
2010–2013 | A-League Premiership: 2011–12 A-League Championship: 2013 A-League Coach of the Year: 2011–12 |
|
| Phil Moss |
2013–2015 | — | |
| Tony Walmsley |
2015–2016 | — | |
| Paul Okon |
2016–2018 | — | |
 Wayne O'Sullivan |
2018 (a.i.) | — | |
| Mike Mulvey |
2018–2019 | — | |
| Alen Stajcic |
2019–2021 | — | |
| Nick Montgomery |
2021–2023 | A-League Men Championship: 2023 | |
| Mark Jackson |
2023– | A-League Men Premiership: 2023–24 A-League Men Championship: 2024 AFC Cup: 2023–24 |
Team Captains
| Dates | Name | Notes | Honours (as captain) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005–2007 | Noel Spencer |
First ever club captain | 2005 A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup |
| 2007–2012 | Alex Wilkinson |
2007–08 A-League Premiership 2011–12 A-League Premiership |
|
| 2012–2015 |  John Hutchinson |
2012–13 A-League Championship | |
| 2015–2017 | Nick Montgomery |
||
| 2017–2018 |  Alan Baró |
||
| 2018–2020 | Matt Simon |
||
| 2020–2022 | Oliver Bozanic |
||
| 2022–2024 | Danny Vukovic |
2022–23 A-League Men Championship 2023–24 A-League Men Premiership 2023–24 A-League Men Championship |
Club Records
John Hutchinson has played the most games for the Mariners, with 271 matches in total. Former captain Matt Simon is second with 238 games. Alex Wilkinson, Joshua Rose, and Storm Roux are tied for third with 206 games each. As of 2020, Matt Simon is the Mariners' all-time top goal scorer with 66 goals.
The highest number of fans at Central Coast Stadium for a Mariners game was 21,379. This happened during the 2024 Grand Final, which the Mariners won 3–1 in extra time.
Asian Competition Record
The Mariners have played in Asian football tournaments several times. Here's how they've done:
| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Home | Away | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | AFC Champions League | Group E |  Beijing Guoan |
2–1 | 0–2 | 2nd out of 4 |
 Ulsan Hyundai |
2–0 | 1–0 | ||||
 Nagoya Grampus |
0–1 | 1–1 | ||||
| Round of 16 | Pohang Steelers |
0–6 | ||||
| 2012 | AFC Champions League | Group G | Tianjin Teda |
5–1 | 0–0 | 3rd out of 4 |
| Nagoya Grampus |
1–1 | 0–3 | ||||
| Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma |
1–1 | 0–5 | ||||
| 2013 | AFC Champions League | Group H | Suwon Samsung Bluewings |
0–0 | 1–0 | 2nd out of 4 |
| Kashiwa Reysol |
0–3 | 1–3 | ||||
| Guizhou Renhe |
2–1 | 1–2 | ||||
| Round of 16 | Guangzhou Evergrande |
1–2 | 0–3 | 1–5 | ||
| 2014 | AFC Champions League | Group F | FC Seoul |
0–1 | 0–2 | 4th out of 4 |
| Sanfrecce Hiroshima |
2–1 | 0–1 | ||||
| Beijing Guoan |
1–0 | 1–2 | ||||
| 2015 | AFC Champions League | Qualifying play-off round | Guangzhou R&F |
1–3 | ||
| 2023–24 | AFC Cup | Group G |  Terengganu |
1–1 | 0–1 | 1st out of 4 |
 Stallion Laguna |
9–1 | 3–0 | ||||
 Bali United |
6–3 | 2–1 | ||||
| ASEAN Zonal semi-finals | Phnom Penh Crown |
4–0 | ||||
| ASEAN Zonal final | Macarthur FC |
3–2 (aet) | ||||
| Inter-zone play-off semi-finals |  Odisha |
4–0 | 0–0 | 4–0 | ||
| Inter-zone play-off final |  Abdysh-Ata Kant |
3–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | ||
| Final |  Al Ahed |
1–0 | ||||
| 2024–25 | AFC Champions League Elite | League stage | Shandong Taishan |
N/A | 1–3 (Voided) |
11th out of 11 |
 Buriram United |
1–2 | N/A | ||||
| Shanghai Port |
N/A | 2–3 | ||||
| Shanghai Shenhua |
2–2 | N/A | ||||
| Vissel Kobe |
N/A | 2–3 | ||||
| Yokohama F. Marinos |
0–4 | N/A | ||||
| Johor Darul Ta'zim |
1–2 | N/A | ||||
| Kawasaki Frontale |
N/A | 0–2 | ||||
Club Achievements
Australian Titles
A-League Men
- A-League Men Championship (Grand Final Winners)
- Winners (3): 2013, 2023, 2024
- Runners-up (3): 2006, 2008, 2011
- A-League Men Premiership (Regular Season Winners)
- Winners (3): 2007–08, 2011–12, 2023–24
- Runners-up (3): 2010–11, 2012–13, 2022–23
Cups
- Australia Cup
- Runners-up (1): 2021
- A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup
- Winners (1): 2005
- Runners-up (1): 2006
Asian Titles
- AFC Cup / AFC Champions League Two
- Winners (1): 2023–24
The Mariners Medal (Player of the Year)
This award is given to the best player of the season.
|
|
|
|
Team of the Decade
This is a special team chosen to represent the best players from the club's first ten years (2005–2014).
2005–2014 Central Coast Mariners
Football Club Team of the Decade
More Information
- Central Coast Mariners FC (W-League) (The women's team)
- Central Coast Mariners Academy (The youth academy)
- List of Central Coast Mariners FC seasons (Details about each season)
See also
In Spanish: Central Coast Mariners Football Club para niños
